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Stem Cell Based Strategies for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Dr. Wen group is developing multiple novel clinical applicable strategies by combining stem cells with degradable scaffolds with controlled properties to engineering a permissive environment inside the brain tissue to promote stem cell differentiation, control stem cell migration and proliferation, and also enhance the integration with host tissues. For the treatment of Parkinson's disease, the goal is to rebuild the highly organized nigrostriatal pathway and ultimately cure the disease. For Alzheimer's disease, the goal to correct microenvironment in CNS, control stem cell differentiation into neurons, migration extensively in CNS tissue, and ultimately reinnervate the targets brain-wide. For multiple sclerosis, the goal is to suppress chronic inflammation in brain tissue, control stem cell differentiation into oligodendrocytes, migration widely in CNS tissue, and ultimately remyelinate axons brain-wide. We are achieving these goals by the combination of scaffolding, stem cell engineering, and genetic engineering technologies.